Jose Mourinho, who memorably proclaimed himself the "Special One", says he no longer wants to be special and has joined Inter Milan to show he is a "great coach".

The former Chelsea manager signed a three-year contract to become the manager of Inter yesterday, returning to football nine months after he left Stamford Bridge under a cloud.

And as Mourinho was introduced to the Italian media he insisted he retained his passion and appetite for the game.

"I am Mourinho - period," he said. "I have arrived to a special club and I believe I am a great coach but I don't want to be special. I am the same person as I was before, with the same mission and the same passion for my work."

Mourinho’s arrival comes after Roberto Mancini was dismissed last Thursday, despite leading his team to the title in the past three seasons. Mancini failed to bring European success to the San Siro and the club has identified Mourinho as the man who can bring the European Cup back to the club for the first time since 1965.

Mourinho would not rule out a raid on his former club, despite revealing he only intends to make two or three new signings for the new season.

Frank Lampard and Didier Drogba have both been linked with a move to Italy, but Mourinho would not be drawn on names.

"I think it is normal as a consequence of the relationship with my players," he said. "Almost all of them want to work with me again in the future and the same goes for me. I have a great relationship with almost all of my players and it is normal that these rumours spread.

"But it depends on whether Chelsea want to sell - there has got to be a relation between what one club wants and what another club wants to do. The president knows what I would like, but I am not discussing names with the press."

The Portuguese said he always hoped to manage in Italy and has set a bold vision for the future of the club.

"I have always believed that I would like to work in Italy and at a great club. I want to thank Massimo Moratti and Marco Branca that have given me this opportunity. For me this is a very important challenge but I believe that it could be very enjoyable also for you [the media].

"I need to start a new cycle after that of Mancini, who I consider a great coach, but I am a different tactician," he said. "I want to change the football philosophy of the team, this is my challenge. Moratti has asked me to be myself and to be Mourinho means to work in harmony with players, with the club and with the fans."

The 45-year-old addressed the press in near-flawless Italian and revealed he had been learning the language since the club first made contact nearly three months ago.

He said: "I think the truth is important and the truth is that the first time Inter spoke to me was the day after they lost the second match against Liverpool [on March 11].

"I started to learn Italian then, but it is easy - I only have problems with the temporal verbs, but the words come easy. I am very intelligent."

Despite his acrimonious departure from Stamford Bridge, Mourinho said Chelsea will stay in his heart but not in his mind.

"I will always, always, always support Chelsea and wish them all the best with their new coach, but if Chelsea meet Inter in the Champions League, then I won't know any of them," he said.

"Chelsea is over for me - not in my heart, but in my thoughts. At this moment, I want to start a new life and I do not want to talk about Chelsea.

"It will be hard, but I want to have the same passion with the fans of Inter and the same relationship with the players and carry joy to Inter in the same way I did for Chelsea."